Regina King’s son Ian Alexander Jr. is seen smiling and raising a toast with his famous mom and a family friend during New Year’s Eve interview with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen three weeks before taking his own life on his 26th birthday
- The Oscar and Emmy winner King was joined by her son Ian and a man named Brandon, whom she called her ‘bonus son’
- The three appeared to be in good spirits, toasting one another, during a large family gathering for the holiday
- ‘Twenty years, we’re all together, this whole family of people are together because of these two and their lives that brought us together,’ King said
- Ian, whom King shares with record producer ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr., died on his 26th birthday on January 19
- Ian Alexander Jr. posted haunting messages on Twitter five days before he died by suicide that revealed he felt he was ‘losing his s**t’
- Ian, the only child of actress Regina King, also wrote: ‘I don’t think instagram is healthy for me’
- King confirmed his death in a statement, saying she is ‘devastated at the deepest level’ and that Ian was a ‘bright light who cared about the happiness of others’
Regina King spent New Year’s Eve with her late son Ian Alexander Jr. just weeks before he killed himself and he even made a brief cameo during the actress’s light-hearted interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen before the ball dropped.
Ian committed suicide on Wednesday, which was his 26th birthday. No further details have been released.
The Oscar and Emmy winner was joined by her son and a man named Brandon, whom she called her ‘bonus son,’ in a virtual appearance on Cooper and Cohen’s New Year’s Eve show.
The three appeared to be in good spirits, toasting one another, during a large family gathering for the holiday
‘Twenty years, we’re all together, this whole family of people are together because of these two [Ian and Brandon] and their lives together that brought us together. And we drink in the spirit of inclusivity too,’ King said.
‘And progress,’ son Ian added.
Ian continues to be seen throughout the remainder of the interview smiling and drinking while mother Regina discusses career highlights, toasts with sister Reina King and goes one-on-one with actress Jackee Harry.
Regina King appeared with son Ian Alexander Jr. (right) and her ‘bonus son’ Brandon on New Year’s Eve for a CNN special
King, Ian and Brandon all shared a toast with CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_ZqncdTBPfM%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1
Early on in the interview, Cohen and Cooper ask King what her New Year’s resolution is.
The four-time Emmy winner strikes a bit of a melancholy note but hopes for progress in the coming year and inclusivity.
‘New Year’s resolutions don’t always work out for me, so I tend to take the time, like a lot of us do to just kinda reflect about the things that really hit me. That really stuck with me throughout the year,’ she said.
‘One of the things this past two years that sat with me is inclusivity,’ she added. ‘All we’ve been through for the past two years, just how different we all are, but the one thing we have in common is we all want to be seen and when we are all included, things are better.’
King then jokes that ‘things drink better’ to which son Ian jovially raises his glass of Diageo, a London-based beverage company that Alexander notes operates ‘in the spirit of progress.’
Alexander Jr. saluted his mother on her birthday back in January of 2021
The actress then toasts a glass of what she appears to suggest is a Don Julio 1942, which is made by Diageo.
Ian doesn’t appear much for the remainder of the interview, which features a reunion between King and her former 227 co-star Harry, though Jackee does tell King to ‘kiss Ian for me.’
The actress has stayed out of the spotlight since the tragedy.
King’s spokesman confirmed her son’s death in a statement Saturday, reading: ‘Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian.’
‘He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others. Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time.’
Haunting last messages posted to Twitter in the days ahead of Ian Alexander Jr.’s death reveal Regina King’s only child felt he was ‘losing his s**t.’
‘You know that episode of SpongeBob where they go inside his brain and it’s a bunch of mini spongebobs just losing their s**t…..yea that one really hits home,’ Ian tweeted five days before his took his life.
The DJ – who performed under the stage name desduné – added, in a separate message: ‘I don’t think instagram is healthy for me.’
Haunting last messages posted to Twitter in the days ahead of Ian Alexander Jr.’s death reveal Regina King’s only son felt he was ‘losing his s**t’ (Ian and Regina are pictured together in 2019)
Five days before his death, Ian took to Twitter comparing his mental state to that of seemingly distressed cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants
Ian’s last Instagram post, published three days ago, was more positive and promoted his upcoming show. He also predicted his career was about to ‘blow up.’
‘Its been a minute but now we back at the jump off. Don’t you want to say you supported desduné before the blowup??’ he wrote.
Ian was an artist and DJ who performed under the stage name desduné. The musician had a show scheduled on Friday in Los Angeles and had promoted the performance on his Instagram account four days ago.
The 26-year-old was also a celebrity chef, telling Flaunt Magazine last May he aspired to open his own restaurant within in the next three years.
King, 51, shared Ian with her former husband, record producer Ian Alexander Sr. The two divorced in 2007 after 10 years of marriage. The actress and her son are said to have been incredibly close with him often accompanying her to red carpet events.
Ian’s last Instagram post (pictured), published three days ago, was more positive and promoted his upcoming show. He also predicted his career was about to ‘blow up’
In addition to his upcoming shows, Ian just released a new single, ‘Green Eyes,’ on January 7.
On Instagram a week ago, King shared a clip of the track urging her followers to check it out.
‘Now listening to ‘Green Eyes,” the actress wrote. ‘Desduné said he’d quit smoking if he gets a million streams….Maaaan Listen…I got this jam on repeat!’
King shared a close bond with her son who often accompanied her to events and called her ‘super mom’ at the 2019 Golden Globes.
Speaking about his famous mother previously, Ian said: ‘She’s just a super mom…
‘She doesn’t really let bad work days or anything come back and ruin the time that we have. It’s really awesome to have a mother who I can enjoy spending time with.’
The If Beale Street Could Talk actress separated from Ian’s father in 2007, after nine years of marriage.
The pair had matching tattoos reading ‘unconditional love’ in Aramaic.
Devastating: The actress, 51, confirmed the tragic news to PEOPLE on Friday with a statement reading: ‘Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian
Artistic soul: Ian was an artist and a DJ – known as DJ Buttercream; Pictured attending Childhelp Hollywood Heroes on October 18, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California
His passion: pictured DJ’ing and with actress Rosario Dawson (right)
In 2011, Regina spoke with Essence and revealed how much she adored Ian.
She said: ‘I get emotional because my son is an amazing young man, and it took me to be a mother for me to realize how incredible of a woman she (my mother) is.’
She went on saying, ‘You don’t know what unconditional love is. You may say you do, but if you don’t have a child, you don’t know what that is…
‘But when you experience it, it is the most fulfilling ever. So, that is the greatest part about me. Being a mom to Ian.’
Close bond: The actress shared a close bond with her son, who often accompanied her to events and called her ‘super mom’ at the 2019 Golden Globes
Family: Ian – who celebrated his 26th birthday on Wednesday – was King’s only child with her record producer ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr; Pictured during Legally Blonde 2 Red, White & Blonde – Special Screening in Southampton, New York
The star pictured with her son and her ex-husband at the 2005 Miss Congeniality 2 film premiere in Los Angeles
Meanwhile Ian shared a lovely message for Regina’s 50th birthday last year, writing on his Instagram: ‘Happy birthday to my co, so extremely proud of you and inspired by your love, artistry, and gangsta…
‘To be able to watch you take this lifetime by its neck and make it yours is something I will forever be grateful for.’
He went on: ‘But to have you as my mother is the greatest gift I could ask for. To be all that you are while always having the time to be there, love and support me unconditionally is truly remarkable.
‘The whole marvel universe ain’t got s**t on you, your {sic] the real superhero! Love you mom! This day and everyday YO DAY!!’
Together: The mother and son pictured at the 18th Annual Race To Erase MS at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel on April 29, 2011 in Century City
King and Ian attend Cleveland Cavaliers Vs. New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden on February 4, 2017 in New York City
The Golden Globe winner and her son pictured attending the GRAMMY Gift Lounge during the 56th Grammy Awards at Staples Center on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California
In 2017 King revealed on an episode of The View that the two share matching tattoos.
She said: ‘We were taking Kabbalah classes. He said, let’s choose three [designs] each and not tell each other which ones they are and whichever one is matching, that’s the one we’re going to get tattooed — and we both chose unconditional love’.
While portraying a grieving mother who recently lost a child in Netflix’s Seven Seconds series in 2019, the actress spoke about how her own experience as a mother prepared her for the role.
‘[My son] makes me happier than anything in the whole world,’ she said. ‘To be in a space of a mother losing her child for six months was terrifying.’
‘[My son] makes me happier than anything in the whole world,’ the actress said in 2019
Word of Ian’s death spread quickly on social media, with celebrities and loved ones offering their thoughts and prayers to King.
‘Deepest condolences and prayers for strength to @ReginaKing. Sending back to her all the warmth and light and support she has extended to me and to so many others,’ Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, posted on Twitter.
King, who directed One Night in Miami and has starred in numerous films, is the recipient of two NAACP Image Awards.
Bernice King, the CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change and daughter of King posted on Twitter: ‘Praying for Regina King. She needs all the grace and light that can flow her way right now.’
Word of Ian’s death spread quickly on social media, with celebrities and loved ones offering their thoughts and prayers to King
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